Belt conveyer



A. HOPKINSQN BELT CONVEYER April 9, 1929.

Filed Nov: 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet zuezz Z02" zzfi vizyawozz p l" 1929-. A. HOPKINSON 1,708,885

BELT CONVEYER Filed Nov. 27, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,708,885 PATENT OFFICE.

AUSTIN IIOPKINSON, F AUDENSHAW, ENGLAND.

BELT oon'vnYnn.

Application filed November 27, 1926, Serial No. 151,190, and in Great Britain December 3, 1925.

The invention relates to belt conveyors,

and more particularly to means for main taining the roller frames in their correct positions without the provision of a r1g1d longitudinal framing.

According to the invention, the roller frames held in position by tightening a flexible rope, band or chain passing through clamping devlces carried by the said frames, but are free to be moved when the rope or its equivalent is slaclrened.

in one form of the invention the iope 01 the like passes through a curved channel in a clamping device carried by each roller frame, so that a big-ht is formed 1n the said rope.

In a modified construction each roller frame carries pins by which a bight is formed in the rope.

The device is more particularly useful when applied to portable conveyors for mining or other purposes in which the direction of the path of the conveyer may require adjustment from time to time.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate examples of means according to the invention for holding the roller frames in position- Fig. l is a side and Fig. 2 an end view in elevation of a section of the conveyor; 8 and 4 show ona larger scale the device for clamping the rope; Figs. 5 and 6 show a modified clamping device, and. Figs. 7 and 8 a further modification.

Referring to Figs. 1-4:, 1. denotes the ver tical f'amcs carrying the upper rollers 2, the lower rollers 3 and the curving rollers l for imparting, if desired, a trough-shaped form to the conveyor band 5. 7

Each post carries also, in the example ils atcd at the level of the axis of the upper on the outside a clampii'ig device or provided with a longitudinal channel 8 curved in the vertical plane through which the rope 9 is passed and in which it forms a l'iip'ht.

At the front and back edges 10 and 11 of the clamp the rope is seated in an upwardly extending recess 12 and at the centre 13 of the clamp in a downwardly extending recess V In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and G the rope 9 is passed through a curved channcl 15 provided in a lug 16 of each post 1.

1n the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8, three pins 17 with disc-shaped heads 18 are arranged, so that a bight is formed in the rope as it passes over the two lower pins and below the upper pin.

In all these modifications when the rope is tightened, the bight tends to straighten out and pressure is applied at three points of the clamp or cleat.

The arrangement according to the inven tion enables the track of the conveyor to be readily and easily adjusted to the conditions of the ground or other working requirements.

What I claim as my'invention is 1. In a belt conveyer embodying a plurality of movable frames to rest upon the groundand rollers carried by said frames for supporting and guiding a conveyor belt,

means for preventing relative movement of said frames, said means comprising a flexible medium and clamping means carried by each of said frames and associated with said flexible medium, all'of said clan'iping means, when said flexible medium slaclr, being freely movable lengthwise of the flexible medium and, when said flexible medium, is put under tension, engaging said flexible medium to prevent movement of said frames lengthwise thereof.

2. In a belt conveyor embodying a plurality of movable frames to rest upon the ground and rollers carried by said frames for supporting and guiding a conveyor belt, means for preventing relative movement of said frames, said means comprising a I blc medium and mcai'is carried by each of said frames throi'lgh which said flexible medium is movable, each of said. last-named means having means forming a bight on said flexible medium, said bight forining' means, when said flexible medium is'put under tension, engaging said flexible medium and iii-evei'iting movement of the flexible medium therethrough.

3. In a belt conveyor en'ibodying a plurality of movable frames to rest upon the ground and rollers carried by said frames for supporting and guiding a conveyer belt, means for preventing relative movement of said frames, said means comprising a channel carried by each of said frames and a flexible member extending through said channels, each of said channels having means permitting the movement of said flexible member therethrough when said flexible member is slack and operative to prevent movement of said flexible member therethroughiwhen said 'fieirible member is put-under tension.

4. In a belt conveyer embodyinga plurality of movable fr'a'me's to restnpo'n' the ground and rollers carried by saidframes for supporting and guiding a conveyer belt, neans Y for I prevent-mg relative movementof saicl'i'rames, saicl means comprising a flexible member and a channel formed in each of said frames through "which said flexible member, when slack, is freely movable, each 70f said channels'having means engaging said flexible member," Wheatensioned, at' a 5. Ina belt eonveyer embodyinga plural ity of movable frames to rest upon the ground and rollers carried by said frames said frames, said means comprising a flexible member and a curved channel extending transversely of each of said frames substantially in the direction of the movement of the conveyer belt and through which said flexible member, when slack, is freely movable, each ofsairl channels being curved in the direction of its length to clamp said flexible member against movement therethrough when said' flexible member is tensioned.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

AUSTIN HOPKINSON. 

